The objective of the present work is to study the heat transfer distribution in the helical coil flow boiling system. Infrared thermal imaging technique is used to measure the local wall temperature. The wall temperature is measured across the circumference and in axial direction along the length of a helical coil. The literature showing circumferential heat transfer distribution in a helical coil during flow boiling process is scarce. The present work compares the wall temperature and heat transfer coefficient distribution on the inner side and the outer side of helical coils at different diameter ratios and density ratios. In the present study, the experimental databank (containing total 400 heat transfer coefficient data points) includes the data not only from the present experimental study but also from the literature. The data bank includes the subcooled and the saturated flow boiling data. The data includes two fluids namely water and R123. Data covers the range of parameters namely a density ratio of 30–1600, a mass flux of 100–1300 kg/m2 s, a heat flux of 2–640 kW/m2, an exit quality of −0.5 to 1 and a coil to tube diameter ratio of 14–58. Ten empirical correlations which include well referred correlations of straight tubes and available correlations of helical coils are evaluated with the databank. The study concluded that the circumferential wall temperature variation in helical coils decreases with increase in a diameter ratio and with decrease in a density ratio. The circumferential averaged heat transfer coefficient during a saturated flow boiling in a helical coil is same as a straight tube. A correlation is suggested to measure the circumferential average heat transfer coefficient in helical coils. © 2017 Elsevier Ltd